1. Field
The invention relates generally to electronic monitoring and supervision in the criminal justice field. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for computerized management of offenders being supervised by criminal justice agencies and their staff.
2. Related Art
The current system of corrections relies on outdated methods and technologies, causing it to be both costly and inefficient. Prisons are overcrowded and the national corrections budget for 2012 is in excess of $74 billion. Many corrections personnel such as parole and probation officers are overworked and have heavy caseloads that can keep them from dedicating the necessary attention to each case. Owing to these limited resources, it is becoming increasingly difficult for officers to manage caseloads while maintaining a high level of individual care and support.
House arrest programs and body-worn monitoring devices (e.g. ankle bracelets) are widely implemented as a means of reducing prison populations. However, in general practice, these devices and programs have several serious flaws—for example, body worn monitoring devices cannot transmit a signal out of range of their associated base units, and certain health risks are associated with prolonged wearing of such a device. Additionally, the individual under such supervision faces significant barriers to reintegrating into society, such as the visibility of a body-worn device, which can engender discrimination and limit the individual's ability to acquire a job, make meaningful connections and so on.
Another way that existing methods fall short is in the realm of live support. Upon release from an institution such as prison, an individual may lack the skills or knowledge needed to pursue a successful path toward rehabilitation or reintegration. Certain existing systems advocate the providing of resources to such an individual in electronic format, but no system offers constant access to a live support network with no cost to the participant.